In a bid to reaffirm the trust, credibility, and enduring relevance of print media, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has launched a nationwide ‘Ink Doesn’t Lie’ campaign, even as its president, Vivek Gupta, has strongly championed the trust factor of newspapers and magazines.
According to reports in e4m and other media-watching platforms, on 27 July 2026, INS member publications across India simultaneously published a unified, common advertisement to showcase industry solidarity.
The campaign directly tackles the rise of unregulated social media and digital platforms by positioning newspapers as a crucial bulwark against online fake news and speculation. It highlights the print industry’s strict commitment to editorial standards, verified information, and thorough fact-checking.
According to INS, the initiative underscores how reliable print journalism strengthens democracy by fostering an informed citizenry. Beyond readers, the movement targets brands and advertisers, reminding them that print media commands unparalleled authority and deep consumer respect.
Notably, speaking recently at the INMA South Asia News Festival, Gupta, president of INS and chairman and managing director of Sanmarg, focused on the trust factor of print media—100,000 publications, consisting of small, medium, and large, in various regional languages—which he said gives it an edge over other new-age platforms.
“I’ve been hearing a lot about print being dead. So, I’ll say I’ve come here today—lend me your ears—for I’ve not come to bury print, but to praise it. And with that, I start,” he said.
“It’s not here that I’m competing or belittling any other medium because, you know, it’s like we are the grandfather of journalism. First came radio, and we were told, ‘You are dead.’ Then came television. Again, we were told print is dead. Then came the internet, then digital, then mobile and social. Every time, print has survived; print has become more focused. Why am I telling you this? Because print was never in competition with any of these mediums,” he said.
Stressing the trust factor, he said a lot of painstaking effort goes into producing a newspaper to ensure fake-free news. “One of the reasons print enjoys unparalleled trust is that there is no deepfake. We are here. Any story that goes in our print begins with verification.”
Gupta said a combination of mediums—print and digital—is the way forward. Print, he affirmed, is relevant and will be there in the future as well. “There is no choice between print and digital; we have to coexist.”
